Couple arrested in connection with 2016 death

TUCUMCARI — A pair of Tucumcari residents are out on bond, charged in connection with the 2016 death of a 1-year-old boy.

Hope Bass and Daniel Martinez were arrested Aug. 10, and both entered no plea to four counts of child abuse — one resulting in death. The charges stem from the Aug. 5, 2016, death of Chase Bass.

The two were arraigned Monday before Quay County Magistrate Judge TJ O’Quinn and released on $20,000 appearance bonds, with caveats including house arrest, GPS ankle bracelets and the consent to be searched at any time without a warrant while out.

Attempts to contact the suspects on Wednesday were unsuccessful. It wasn’t clear if either had an attorney.

District Attorney Tim Rose said it took a year to file charges because the Office of Medical Investigator’s autopsy took months to complete and because the DA consulted with a child abuse specialist before pursuing charges.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Chester Bobbitt of the New Mexico State Police:

• Chase was brought to the emergency room of Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital following a 911 call that he was not breathing. Staff attempted life-saving treatment for 30 minutes, and reported a temperature of 104.6 degrees and multiple abrasions and contusions on the body.

• Interviews with Martinez and Bass included several inconsistencies and changes in retelling the day’s events.

• Bass said her son was fine the day of the incident, and was preparing dinner when she asked Martinez to wake him. Martinez called for her to come to the child’s room, where Martinez said he found Chase face down and not breathing with blue lips.

• Bass said she did not discipline her children before she dated Martinez, but that changed once the relationship began. She said the discipline her children got from Martinez’ family had progressively increased — including an incident from the prior night where she said Martinez held Chase by the leg while paddling him.

• Martinez said Bass would sometimes cover Chase with blankets when he was crying to help alleviate the noise, and once Chase had gotten hot enough Martinez gave him a shower to cool him down.

• Both said the other had given Chase a bottle during the day, but neither admitted to seeing Chase alive that day.

Dr. Kacy Kreibel of the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque ruled Chase’s death a homicide, and said his high temperature was caused by hyperthermia after being confined underneath blankets and left unattended.

Tim Rose, the 10th Judicial District Attorney, said there is no adult criminal history for either defendant.

The four counts of abuse cover Chase and his two older siblings.

Both suspects will have a preliminary hearing next month in magistrate court — Martinez on Sept. 12, Bass on Sept. 21.